Grass mower

Abstract

To provide a grass mower capable of reducing a burden on an operator and performing grass mowing more efficiently.SOLUTION: A grass mower 1 that can be moved by a hand-push operation includes a body 10, a wheel 2, an operation handle 20, and a pair of cutter blades 30 and 30 arranged rotatably on a lower end side of the body 10. The pair of cutter blades 30 and 30 is arranged side by side or arranged so as not to interfere with each other while at least parts of them overlap with each other. In the grass mower 1, the body 10 includes cutter blade support members 31 and 31. The cutter blades 30 and 30 are supported rotatably by the cutter blade support members 31 and 31. At least one of the cutter blade support members 31 and 31 can be moved either in a horizontal direction or in a vertical direction, or in both directions with respect to the body 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a lawn mower for mowing weeds and the like.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a scythe-type (also referred to as a carry-type) lawn mower has been known. Such a scythe-type lawn mower has been difficult to work for a long time because the fatigue of the operator accumulates due to the weight load. In addition, since the scythe-type lawn mower has a large burden when swinging the head, it has been difficult to adjust the head speed during mowing. Therefore, in order to reduce the weight load on the operator, a lawn mower equipped with wheels has been used (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, although the lawn mower described in Patent Document 1 has improved operability when mowing low grass such as turf, in order to mow tall grass, it is necessary to perform scything while swinging the head. Therefore, there has still been a problem that the burden on the operator becomes large.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a lawn mower that can reduce the burden on the operator and can more efficiently mow (scythe) grass.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] (1) The lawn mower of the present invention provided to solve the above-described problems is a lawn mower that can be moved by a pushing operation, and includes a main body, at least one wheel, an operation handle, and a pair of cutter blades rotatably arranged on the lower end side of the main body. The pair of cutter blades are arranged side by side or at least partially overlap each other so as not to interfere with each other.

[0007] The above-described lawn mower includes at least one wheel and a pair of cutter blades, and since the pair of cutter blades are arranged side by side or partially overlap each other, grass can be cut (mowed) by moving the main body forward without swinging the cutter head. Therefore, the above-described lawn mower can cut grass without imposing a weight load on the operator. Further, since the above-described lawn mower can cut grass without swinging the cutter head, the risk of the cutter head contacting people or objects can be reduced. Further, since the above-described lawn mower includes a pair of cutter blades and can cut grass by moving forward and backward with the wheels, even tall grass can be easily cut without swinging the cutter head.

[0008] (2) In the lawn mower of the present invention described above, the main body includes at least a pair of support members, the pair of cutter blades are rotatably supported by the pair of support members respectively, and at least one of the pair of support members is movable relative to the main body in one or both of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

[0009] With the above-described lawn mower configured as such, it is possible to move a pair of cutter blades closer to or away from each other either in the horizontal direction or in the vertical direction (the height direction of the cutter blades) or both. As a result, the above-described lawn mower can suppress the entanglement of grass between the cutter blades and change the degree of grass cutting (the degree of grass removal) according to the state of the grass (e.g., height). Therefore, the above-described lawn mower can improve the efficiency of grass cutting. Further, the above-described lawn mower is configured such that a pair of cutter blades can be moved in the vertical direction, thereby suppressing interference between the cutter blades even when at least a part of one cutter blade overlaps the other cutter blade.

[0010] (3) In the above-described lawn mower of the present invention, the operation handle has a pair of arms, and the pair of arms are each movable relative to the main body portion either in the horizontal direction or in the vertical direction or both.

[0011] With the above-described lawn mower configured as such, the arms (operation handle) can be arranged at an appropriate position according to the physique of the operator and the like. As a result, the above-described lawn mower can reduce the working burden on the operator.

[0012] (4) In the above-described lawn mower of the present invention, it is preferable that each of the pair of cutter blades can be switched between normal and reverse rotations.

[0013] With the above-described lawn mower configured as such, the rotation direction of the cutter blades can be switched according to the state of the grass (e.g., the height of the grass) and the surrounding situation (the arrangement of objects such as walls). As a result, the above-described lawn mower can switch the direction of grass cutting and suppress the entanglement of the cut grass. Note that the above-described lawn mower may be configured to control the rotation speed of each of the pair of cutter blades. Thereby, it can be expected that the above-described lawn mower can more appropriately switch the direction of grass cutting.

[0014] (5) The lawn mower of the present invention described above is preferably characterized in that the pair of cutter blades can rotate reversely so that they rotate outward or inward with respect to each other.

[0015] With such a configuration, when the pair of cutter blades rotate reversely outward with respect to each other, the cut grass can be removed to the outside (front side). As a result, the above-described lawn mower can suppress the entanglement of grass. On the other hand, when the pair of cutter blades rotate reversely inward with respect to each other, the above-described lawn mower can suppress the upward winding of grass to the outside (front side). Therefore, the above-described lawn mower can perform appropriate grass cutting according to the surrounding environment where the grass cutting is performed.

[0016] (6) The lawn mower of the present invention described above is preferably characterized in that the rotational speeds of the pair of cutter blades can be individually changed.

[0017] With such a configuration, the rotational speed of the cutter blade can be changed according to the surrounding environment (for example, the direction in which grass can be removed, the position of obstacles, etc.) and the state of the grass (for example, the height of the grass). Therefore, the above-described lawn mower can enhance its versatility.

[0018] (7) The lawn mower of the present invention described above is preferably characterized in that the main body portion has a wheel stand, and the wheel stand is swingably supported around the wheel axle of the wheel in the main body portion and can lift up the wheel with respect to the ground as it swings.

[0019] With such a configuration, the wheel can be lifted up and the lawn mower can be surely stopped. As a result, when temporarily stopping the grass cutting operation, the operator can release the holding of the lawn mower, thus reducing the burden on the operator.

[0020] (8) The lawn mower of the present invention described above has the main body portion having a main body stand. The main body stand is supported above the wheels in the main body portion and near the operation handle, and has a protruding portion protruding to the rear side of the main body portion. The protruding portion is characterized in that it touches the ground when the upper side of the main body portion is tilted around the wheels.

[0021] With such a configuration, the above-described lawn mower can hold the cutter blade at an elevated position when, for example, replacing the cutter blade, thereby improving the workability of the cutter blade replacement work. Further, in the above-described lawn mower, the main body stand (protruding portion) is supported above the wheels in the main body portion and near the operation handle, and is provided protruding to the rear side of the main body portion. That is, in the above-described lawn mower, the main body stand is provided on the operator side. Therefore, the operator can land the main body stand (protruding portion) on the ground with good operability. As a result, in the above-described lawn mower, contact of the operation handle with the ground can be suppressed, so that damage and dirt of the operation handle can be suppressed.

[0022] (9) In the lawn mower of the present invention described above, the main body portion has a pair of motors for rotationally driving the pair of cutter blades and a battery for supplying power to the pair of motors. The battery is arranged above the wheels in the main body portion and on the operation central axis of the operation handle or at a position close to the operation central axis.

[0023] In the lawn mower described above, since the center of gravity of the relatively heavy battery is located on the operation central axis of the operation handle or at a position close to the operation central axis, the operability of the operation handle is improved. Therefore, the above-described lawn mower can reduce the burden on the operator. Further, in the above-described lawn mower, since the battery is disposed above the wheels in the main body portion and on the operation central axis or at a position close to the operation central axis, for example, when the wheels are single wheels, it is possible to prevent the balance of the lawn mower from being lost. Thereby, the above-described lawn mower can be prevented from tipping over.

[0024] (10) In the lawn mower of the present invention described above, the operation handle has a pair of arms, and the pair of arms are each swingably supported with respect to the main body portion and can be folded by swinging toward the main body portion. It is characterized in that it is possible.

[0025] With the above-described configuration, the lawn mower can fold the operation handle when not in use. Thereby, the above-described lawn mower can be reduced in size during storage, so that the storage space can be reduced and the storage property is improved.

Effect of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a lawn mower that can reduce the burden on the operator and can more efficiently mow (cut) grass.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0027]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0028] Hereinafter, the lawn mower 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each figure is schematically shown for easy understanding, and it should be noted that it may be different from the actual shape, size, and arrangement of components.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lawn mower 1 includes a main body 10, wheels 2, an operation handle 20, and a pair of cutter blades 30, 30. The lawn mower 1 also includes a pair of motors 35, 35 for rotationally driving the pair of cutter blades 30, 30, a pair of batteries 36, 36, and control units 40, 40. In addition to the above, the lawn mower 1 includes a wheel stand 50, a main body stand 55, etc. The lawn mower 1 is configured to be movable by being pushed by an operator M by the wheels 2. Also, the lawn mower 1 is configured to rotationally drive the cutter blades 30, 30 by power supplied from the pair of batteries 36, 36 to cut and remove grass.

[0030] The main body 10 is formed by a frame 11 that is formed in a substantially rectangular shape. A second support shaft 15 along the width direction is provided at an intermediate portion in the vertical direction of the main body 10. Also, a third support shaft 17 along the width direction is provided on the lower end side of the main body 10. Further, on the upper end side of the main body 10, an operation handle 20 described later is supported so as to be swingable in the vertical direction and movable in the horizontal direction. Also, on the upper end side of the main body 10, in the vicinity of the operation handle 20, a pair of batteries 36, 36 are supported. Also, on the upper end side of the main body 10, in the vicinity of the operation handle 20, a main body stand 55 is supported. Further, a wheel support member 12 that rotatably supports the wheel 2 is supported from an intermediate portion to the lower end side of the main body 10. Also, a pair of cutter blade support members 31, 31 are provided along the vertical direction of the main body 10.

[0031] In this embodiment, the wheel support member 12 is formed in a rod shape, one end side is supported at the middle of the main body 10, and the other end side is formed to extend downward. In this embodiment, the other end side of the wheel support member 12 is supported at the lower end side of the main body 10. Near the lower side of the wheel support member 12, a wheel shaft 2A of the wheel 2 is rotatably supported. That is, the wheel 2 is rotatably supported near the lower end of the wheel support member 12 via the wheel shaft 2A. The wheel 2 has a tire made of rubber, resin, or the like mounted thereon and is configured to be able to roll on the ground G.

[0032] The pair of cutter blade support members 31, 31 are formed to extend from the upper end side to the lower end side of the main body 10 along the vertical direction of the main body 10. The cutter blade support members 31, 31 are arranged at intervals in the width direction (horizontal direction) of the main body 10. Motors 35, 35 are supported on the lower end sides of the respective cutter blade support members 31, 31. Also, cutter blades 30, 30 are rotatably supported by the motors 35, 35 to form a cutter head.

[0033] The middle part of the cutter blade support members 31, 31 is supported so as to be movable in the vertical direction and the width direction (horizontal direction) with respect to the second support shaft 15. Specifically, second support members 16, 16 (also referred to as support members 16, 16) are supported on the second support shaft 15 so as to be slidable and rotatable in the width direction (horizontal direction) with respect to the second support shaft 15. Further, cutter blade support members 31, 31 are supported on the second support members 16, 16 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The second support member 16 can rotate around the second support shaft 15 along with the swing of the third support member 18 described later, and can swing (tilt) the cutter blade support members 31, 31. The second support members 16, 16 can fix the cutter blade support members 31, 31 at appropriate positions by appropriate fixing means.

[0034] In addition, the lower end sides of the cutter blade support members 31, 31 are supported so as to be movable (swingable) in the vertical direction and movable in the width direction (horizontal direction) via the third support members 18, 18. Specifically, the third support members 18, 18 are formed in a substantially L shape, and one end side is supported on the third support shaft 17 so as to be rotatable and movable in the width direction.

[0035] In addition, cutter blade support members 31, 31 are supported on the other end sides of the third support members 18, 18 (also referred to as support members 18, 18). Therefore, the lower end sides of the cutter blade support members 31, 31 are enabled to swing in the vertical direction along with the swing of the third support members 18, 18 around the third support shaft 17. In other words, the lower end sides (cutter blade 30, 30 sides) of the cutter blade support members 31, 31 are configured to swing in the vertical direction. Thereby, when the cutter blades 30, 30 approach each other in the width direction, interference can be avoided due to the height difference between the cutter blades 30, 30. The third support members 18, 18 can be fixed at the swung positions and the positions moved in the width direction by appropriate fixing means. That is, the cutter blade support members 31, 31 can be fixed at appropriate positions via the third support members 18, 18.

[0036] The motors 35, 35 are arranged such that the axis of rotation is inclined forward with respect to the ground G. The motor shafts (not shown) of the motors 35, 35 are connected to the cutter blades 30, 30. The motors 35, 35 are connected to the control unit 40 and the batteries 36, 36 through wiring (not shown). The motors 35, 35 can be rotationally driven by the power from the batteries 36, 36 to rotate the cutter blades 30, 30. Also, the motors 35, 35 are controlled for forward and reverse rotation by their respective control units 40, 40, and their respective rotation speeds are controllable. Details of the rotation control of the motors 35, 35 (cutter blades 30, 30) will be described later.

[0037] In this embodiment, the cutter blades 30, 30 are circular blades (e.g., made of metal) having a plurality of blades formed on the outer periphery. The cutter blades 30, 30 can be rotated forward and backward by the rotation control of the motors 35, 35. Also, the cutter blades 30, 30 can change their rotation speeds as the rotation speeds of the motors 35, 35 are controlled. Further, the cutter blades 30, 30 can swing vertically and move in the width direction along with the vertical swing and the movement in the width direction of the cutter blade support members 31, 31.

[0038] Also, fan-shaped covers 32, 32 are provided on the rear side of the cutter blades 30, 30. The covers 32, 32 are attached to the lower end sides of the cutter blade support members 31, 31 and are rotatable about the cutter blade support members 31, 31 as axes. Therefore, the covers 32, 32 can be tilted for position adjustment. Also, the covers 32, 32 are slidably attached to the cutter blade support members 31, 31 and can move up and down along the cutter blade support members 31, 31. The covers 32, 32 can prevent the cutter blades 30, 30 from coming into contact with the operator M or obstacles. Also, the covers 32, 32 can prevent the grass, small stones, etc. that are flipped up from scattering.

[0039] The operation handle 20 has a pair of arms 21, 21. The pair of arms 21, 21 can be operated by being gripped by the operator M. That is, the operator M can move the lawn mower 1 in the operation direction via the wheels 2 by operating the pair of arms 21, 21. Further, an operation switch (not shown) is provided on either one or both of the arms 21, 21. The operator M can switch the activation, rotation direction, rotation speed, etc. of the cutter blades 30, 30 described later by operating the operation switch.

[0040] The pair of arms 21, 21 can move relative to the main body 10 in either one or both of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. Specifically, a pair of first support members 14, 14 (also referred to as support members 14, 14) are supported so as to be rotatable and movable in the width direction with respect to a first support shaft 13 provided along the width direction (horizontal direction) on the upper end side of the main body 10. A pair of arms 21, 21 are supported by the pair of first support members 14, 14. Further, the first support members 14, 14 can be fixed at a predetermined position of the first support shaft 13. Thereby, the pair of arms 21, 21 can be fixed at appropriate positions in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. In this way, the lawn mower 1 of the present invention can arrange the arms 21, 21 (operation handle 20) at an appropriate position according to the physique of the operator M, etc., so that the working burden on the operator M can be reduced.

[0041] Also, in the present embodiment, the batteries 36, 36 are arranged above the wheels 2 in the main body 10 and at a position close to the operation central axis L (see FIG. 2) of the operation handle 20. Specifically, the batteries 36, 36 are arranged above the wheels 2 and symmetric in the width direction (left and right) with respect to the operation central axis L of the operation handle 20 (arms 21, 21). Therefore, when the operator M operates the operation handle 20, it is possible to suppress the operation handle 20 from being taken to either the left or the right. The batteries 36, 36 are composed of appropriate lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, etc., and can supply electric power for driving the motors 35, 35. Note that the batteries 36, 36 may be composed of a single one or a plurality of three or more.

[0042] Also, although not shown, the pair of arms 21, 21 of the operation handle 20 are each swingably supported with respect to the main body 10 and can be swung toward the main body 10. Thereby, the pair of arms 21, 21 can be folded toward the main body 10.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 6, the wheel stand 50 is swingably supported around the wheel axis 2A. The wheel stand 50 can be brought into contact with the ground G by rotating (in the clockwise direction in the drawing) around the wheel axis 2A from the two-dot chain line position to the solid line position. That is, the wheel stand 50 can lift up (separate) the wheel 2 with respect to the ground G as it swings.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3, the main body stand 55 is supported above the wheels 2 in the main body 10 and in the vicinity of the operation handle 20. The main body stand 55 has a pair of protruding portions 56, 56 (only one side is shown) protruding to the rear side of the main body 10.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 7, the protruding portions 56, 56 (only one side is shown in the figure) are configured to contact the ground G when the upper side of the main body 10 is tilted about the wheel 2. That is, the protruding portions 56, 56 can prevent the operation handle 20 from contacting the ground G when the main body 10 is laid down. Further, when the main body stand 55 (protruding portions 56, 56) is in a landed state, the cutter blades 30, 30 are lifted upward, so that maintenance such as replacement of the cutter blades 30, 30 can be easily performed.

[0046] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, for example, a pair of control units 40, 40 are provided for each of the batteries 36, 36. The control units 40, 40 can control the power from the batteries 36, 36 and control the rotation direction, rotation speed, etc. of the motors 35, 35 by an appropriate computer (not shown). The control units 40, 40 can control the motors 35, 35 according to the intention of the operator M when the operator M operates an operation switch (not shown) provided on the pair of arms 21, 21 (operation handle 20). Note that the control units 40, 40 may be configured as a single unit or a plurality of three or more units.

[0047] The above is the configuration of the lawn mower 1 of the present invention. Next, the operation of the lawn mower 1 and a specific example of rotation control of the motors 35, 35 (cutter blades 30, 30) will be described.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 4, first, the operator M releases the fixing of the first support members 14, 14 and moves the pair of arms 21, 21 in the width direction to adjust so that the distance between them becomes appropriate. In this embodiment, the operator M moves the first support members 14, 14 in the direction in which the arms 21, 21 approach each other (inward direction). When the adjustment of the distance between the pair of arms 21, 21 is completed, the pair of arms 21, 21 are fixed.

[0049] Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), the operator M moves the second support members 16, 16 and the third support members 18, 18 (see FIG. 4) in the width direction to adjust the distance between the cutter blades 30, 30. Here, the distance between the cutter blades 30, 30 may be adjustable, for example, in the range of 5 to 25 mm. Thereby, the cutter blades 30, 30 are arranged side by side in the width direction.

[0050] Note that, as shown in FIG. 5(c), at least a part of the cutter blades 30, 30 can also be arranged so as to overlap each other. In such a case, as shown in FIG. 8, the third support member 18 may be swung in the vertical direction so that the cutter blades 30, 30 do not interfere with each other. Specifically, with the operator M releasing the fixing of the third support member 18 and the second support member 16 on one side, the third support member 18 is swung (tilted) upward. Thereby, a height difference is provided between the cutter blades 30, 30 of each other, and the interference between the cutter blades 30, 30 of each other is suppressed. Note that when arranging the cutter blades 30, 30 side by side or overlapping a part of them, it is desirable that the distance between the cutter blades 30, 30 of each other is set to at least 5 mm or more. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the interference between the cutter blades 30, 30.

[0051] When the adjustment of the distance between the cutter blades 30, 30 is completed, the cutter blades 30, 30 rotate by the operation of an operation switch (not shown) of the operator M. As shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b), each of the cutter blades 30, 30 can be switched between forward and reverse rotations. For example, when the cutter blades 30, 30 are rotated outward from each other, the cut (mowed) grass is bounced outward (forward side). Thereby, it is possible to suppress the grass from being discharged to the outside and getting entangled. Note that the rotational speed of each of the cutter blades 30, 30 can be individually changed by the operation of the operator M. The rotational speeds of the cutter blades 30, 30 may be the same as each other or different from each other. When a difference is provided in the rotational speeds, the direction of removing the cut grass can be changed.

[0052] On the one hand, when the cutter blades 30, 30 are rotated inwards relative to each other, the cut grass is deflected towards the inside (rear side). Therefore, when it is not desired to scatter the grass towards the front side, the cutter blades 30, 30 may be rotated inwards relative to each other.

[0053] Operator M operates the operation handle 20 while the cutter blades 30, 30 are rotationally driven, and advances the lawn mower 1, for example, towards the front side to perform grass cutting. When the grass cutting operation is completed, operator M stops the rotation of the motors 35, 35. Further, operator M appropriately lifts the wheels 2 by means of the wheel stands 50 to stop the lawn mower 1.

[0054] The above is one embodiment of the lawn mower 1 of the present invention. Next, the operational effects achieved by the lawn mower 1 of the present invention will be described below.

[0055] The above-described lawn mower 1 has the following characteristic configurations (A) to (J). Therefore, the lawn mower 1 can achieve unique effects that cannot be achieved by the following prior art.

[0056] (A) The lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment is a lawn mower 1 that can be moved by a hand-pushing operation, and includes a main body 10, at least one wheel 2, an operation handle 20, and a pair of cutter blades 30, 30 rotatably disposed on the lower end side of the main body 10. The pair of cutter blades 30, 30 are arranged side by side or at least partially overlap each other and are arranged so as not to interfere with each other.

[0057] The above-described lawn mower 1 includes at least one wheel 2 and a pair of cutter blades 30, 30. Since the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 (also referred to as a cutter head) are arranged side by side or partially overlapped, grass can be cut (mowed) by the forward movement of the main body 10 without swinging the cutter head. Therefore, the above-described lawn mower 1 can cut grass without imposing a weight load on the operator M. Further, since the above-described lawn mower 1 can cut grass without swinging the cutter head, the risk of the cutter head contacting people or objects can be reduced. Also, since the above-described lawn mower 1 includes a pair of cutter blades 30, 30 and can cut grass by moving forward and backward with the wheels 2, even tall grass can be easily cut without swinging the cutter head.

[0058] (B) In the lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment, the main body 10 includes at least a pair of cutter blade support members 31, 31. The pair of cutter blades 30, 30 are respectively rotatably supported by the pair of cutter blade support members 31, 31. At least one of the pair of cutter blade support members 31, 31 is movable relative to the main body 10 in one or both of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

[0059] With such a configuration, the above-described lawn mower 1 can move the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 closer to or away from each other in one or both of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction (the height direction of the cutter blade 30). Thereby, the above-described lawn mower 1 can suppress the entrainment of grass between the cutter blades 30, 30 or change the degree of grass mowing (the degree of grass removal) according to the state of the grass (for example, the height). Therefore, the above-described lawn mower 1 can improve the efficiency of grass mowing. Also, by configuring the above-described lawn mower 1 such that the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 can be moved in the vertical direction, even when at least a part of one cutter blade 30 overlaps the other cutter blade 30, interference between the cutter blades 30, 30 can be suppressed.

[0060] (C) In the lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment, the operation handle 20 has a pair of arms 21, 21, and the pair of arms 21, 21 are each movable with respect to the main body 10 in either one or both of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction.

[0061] With such a configuration, the above-described lawn mower 1 can arrange the arms 21, 21 (operation handle 20) at an appropriate position according to the build of the operator M and the like. Thereby, the above-described lawn mower 1 can reduce the working burden on the operator M.

[0062] (D) In the lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment, the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 are each capable of switching between forward and reverse rotation.

[0063] With such a configuration, the above-described lawn mower 1 can switch the rotation direction of the cutter blades 30, 30 according to the state of the grass (for example, the height of the grass) and the surrounding situation (the arrangement of objects such as walls). Thereby, the above-described lawn mower 1 can switch the direction of mowing the grass or suppress the entrainment of the mowed grass. Note that the above-described lawn mower 1 may be configured to control the respective rotation speeds of the pair of cutter blades 30, 30. Thereby, it can be expected that the above-described lawn mower 1 can more appropriately switch the direction of mowing the grass.

[0064] (E) The lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment is characterized in that the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 can rotate reversely so as to rotate outward or inward with respect to each other.

[0065] By adopting such a configuration, when the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 rotate counterclockwise in an outward direction relative to each other, the cut grass can be removed to the outside (front side). As a result, the lawn mower 1 described above can suppress the entanglement of grass. On the other hand, when the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 rotate counterclockwise in an inward direction relative to each other, the lawn mower 1 described above can suppress the upward curling of grass to the outside (front side). Therefore, the lawn mower 1 described above can perform appropriate grass cutting according to the surrounding environment where the grass cutting is carried out.

[0066] (F) The lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment is characterized in that the rotational speeds of the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 can be individually changed.

[0067] By adopting such a configuration, the lawn mower 1 described above can change the rotational speeds of the cutter blades 30, 30 according to the surrounding environment (for example, the direction in which grass can be removed, the position of obstacles, etc.) and the state of the grass (for example, the height of the grass). Therefore, the lawn mower 1 described above can enhance its versatility.

[0068] (G) The lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment is characterized in that the main body 10 has a wheel stand 50, and the wheel stand 50 is swingably supported around the wheel axle 2A of the wheel 2 in the main body 10 and can lift the wheel 2 relative to the ground G as it swings.

[0069] By adopting such a configuration, the lawn mower 1 described above can lift up the wheel 2 and reliably stop. As a result, when temporarily stopping the grass cutting operation, the lawn mower 1 described above can release the operator M's hold on the lawn mower 1, thus reducing the burden on the operator M.

[0070] (H) The lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment has a main body portion 10 with a main body stand 55. The main body stand 55 is supported above the wheels 2 in the main body portion 10, in the vicinity of the operation handle 20, and has a protruding portion 56 that protrudes to the rear side of the main body portion 10. The protruding portion 56 is characterized by landing on the ground G when the upper side of the main body portion 10 is tilted about the wheels 2.

[0071] With the above-described configuration, the lawn mower 1 can hold the cutter blades 30, 30 in an elevated position when, for example, replacing the cutter blades 30, 30, thus improving the workability of the cutter blade replacement operation. Further, in the above-described lawn mower 1, the main body stand 55 (protruding portion 56) is supported above the wheels 2 in the main body portion 10, in the vicinity of the operation handle 20, and protrudes to the rear side of the main body portion 10. That is, in the above-described lawn mower 1, the main body stand 55 is provided on the operator M side. Therefore, the operator M can operably land the main body stand 55 (protruding portion 56) on the ground G. As a result, in the above-described lawn mower 1, contact between the operation handle 20 and the ground G can be suppressed, thereby suppressing damage and dirt on the operation handle 20.

[0072] (I) In the lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment, the main body portion 10 has a pair of motors 35, 35 that rotationally drive a pair of cutter blades 30, 30, and batteries 36, 36 that supply power to the pair of motors 35, 35. The batteries 36, 36 are arranged above the wheels 2 in the main body portion 10, on the operation central axis L of the operation handle 20, or at a position close to the operation central axis L.

[0073] In the lawn mower 1 described above, since the centers of gravity of the relatively heavy batteries 36, 36 are arranged at positions on or close to the operation central axis L of the operation handle 20, the operability of the operation handle 20 is improved. Therefore, the lawn mower 1 described above can reduce the burden on the operator M. Further, in the lawn mower 1 described above, since the batteries 36, 36 are arranged above the wheels 2 in the main body 10 and on or close to the operation central axis L, for example, when one of the wheels 2 is a single wheel, it is possible to prevent the balance of the lawn mower 1 from being lost. Thereby, the lawn mower 1 described above can be prevented from tipping over.

[0074] (J) In the lawn mower 1 of the present embodiment, the operation handle 20 has a pair of arms 21, 21, and the pair of arms 21, 21 are each swingably supported with respect to the main body 10 and can be folded by swinging toward the main body 10. It is characterized by being possible.

[0075] With the above-described configuration, the lawn mower 1 can fold the operation handle 20 when not in use. Thereby, the lawn mower 1 described above can be downsized during storage, so that the storage space can be reduced and the storability is improved.

[0076] The above are the configurations and operational effects of the embodiments of the present invention. However, the lawn mower 1 of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the present invention.

[0077] In this embodiment, the main body 10 is exemplified as being configured in a rectangular shape by a plurality of frames 11, but the main body 10 can adopt various shapes and sizes. Also, in this embodiment, the lawn mower 1 with a single wheel 2 is exemplified, but the wheel 2 may be composed of a plurality of wheels such as two or three wheels, for example. Also, various materials such as rubber and resin can be used for the material of the wheel 2. Further, the operation handle 20 is not limited to being composed of a pair of arms 21, 21, and may be a single one or may include three or more arms 21. Also, the operation handle 20 is not limited to being composed of the arms 21, and those with various shapes and sizes can be used.

[0078] Also, in this embodiment, a pair of arms 21, 21 of the operation handle 20 are exemplified as being movable in either one or both of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction with respect to the main body 10, but the operation handle 20 may be fixed to the main body 10. Also, in this embodiment, the operation handle 20 is configured to be foldable toward the main body 10, but the folding mechanism may be provided as necessary, and the operation handle 20 may be configured not to be foldable.

[0079] Also, various materials and blade tip shapes can be used for the cutter blade 30. Also, the respective rotation directions of the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 are not limited to being outward or inward of each other, and they may rotate in the same direction. Also, the rotational speeds of the cutter blades 30, 30 can be set individually, and the rotational speeds can also be set to various rotational speeds. Also, the interval between the cutter blades 30, 30 is not limited to those of 5 to 25 mm, and those less than 5 mm or exceeding 25 mm may be used. Also, when a part of the cutter blades 30, 30 is overlapped, the overlapping amount and the height difference may be set within a range where they do not interfere with each other.

[0080] In this embodiment, the cutter blades 30, 30 are rotatably supported by a pair of rod-shaped cutter blade support members 31, 31. However, various shapes and sizes of the cutter blade support members 31, 31 can be used. Further, the cutter blade support members 31, 31 can be of various forms, such as those fixed to the main body 10 or those movable relative to the main body 10 in either one or both of the horizontal and vertical directions. That is, the cutter blade support members 31, 31 may be relatively movable with respect to each other.

[0081] In this embodiment, the cutter blades 30, 30 are each configured to be able to switch between forward and reverse rotations. However, when the usage and usage mode are determined, they may be fixed in one direction of forward or reverse. Further, in this embodiment, the main body 10 has a wheel stand 50. However, the wheel stand 50 may be provided as needed, and a configuration in which the wheel stand 50 is removed is also possible. Further, when the wheel stand 50 is provided, various shapes, sizes, and forms of the wheel stand 50 can be used.

[0082] Further, in this embodiment, an example of having a main body stand 55 is shown. However, the main body stand 55 may be provided as needed, and a configuration in which the main body stand 55 is removed is also possible. Further, when the main body stand 55 is provided, various shapes, sizes, and forms of the main body stand 55 can be used. Further, in this embodiment, the main body stand 55 is provided with a pair of protrusions 56, 56. However, the number of protrusions 56 provided can be appropriately changed. Further, in this embodiment, the protrusions 56, 56 (main body stand 55) are provided on the operator M side. However, the protrusions 56, 56 can be changed to an appropriate position according to the usage mode of the lawn mower 1.

[0083] In addition, in this embodiment, the pair of cutter blades 30, 30 are rotationally driven by the pair of motors 35, 35. However, the number of motors 35 can be appropriately changed, such as being configured by a single motor 35 through an appropriate mechanism or being configured by three or more motors 35. Also, in this embodiment, the motors 35, 35 are driven by the power of the pair of batteries 36, 36. However, the batteries 36 may be configured as an integral unit. Further, the control units 40, 40 may be not only a plurality but also a single one. Moreover, in this embodiment, the batteries 36, 36 are disposed above the wheels 2 in the main body 10 and symmetrically arranged with respect to the operation central axis L of the operation handle 20. However, the batteries 36 can be arranged at various positions. For example, the batteries 36, 36 may be arranged below the operation handle 20 or may be arranged offset to one side in the width direction. It is desirable that the batteries 36 be arranged on the operation central axis of the operation handle 20 or at a position close to the operation central axis L according to the number, weight balance (center of gravity), etc.

[0084] The above are various embodiments and modifications of the lawn mower according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to those exemplified in the above-described embodiments and modifications, and it will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that there may be other embodiments without departing from the teachings and spirit within the scope of the claims.

Industrial Applicability

[0085] The present invention can be suitably used for mowing (cutting and removing) grass on paths and the like.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0086] M: Operator L: Operation Central Axis 1: Lawn Mower 2: Wheels 10: Main Body 14: First Support Member 16: Second Support Member 18: Third Support Member 20: Operation Handle 21: Arm 30: Cutter blade 35: Motor 36: Battery 50: Wheel stand 55: Body stand 56: Protrusion

Claims

1. A lawn mower that can be moved by manual operation, comprising: a main body; at least one wheel; an operation handle; a pair of cutter blades rotatably arranged on the lower end side of the main body; and the pair of cutter blades are arranged side by side or at least partially overlap each other and are arranged so as not to interfere with each other. A lawn mower characterized by this.

2. The main body includes at least a pair of cutter blade support members, the pair of cutter blades are rotatably supported by the pair of cutter blade support members respectively, and at least one of the pair of cutter blade support members is movable relative to the main body in either one or both of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. The lawn mower according to claim 1, characterized by this.

3. The operation handle has a pair of arms, and the pair of arms are movable relative to the main body in either one or both of the horizontal direction and the vertical direction. The lawn mower according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by this.

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